Nicknamed Die Knappen (The Miners), Schalke have eagerly maintained a link to their surrounding area's proud mining heritage over the years, with many of the club's players sourced from the various local pits following their formation in the early 1920s.

In a bid to pay humble tribute to their city's industrial history, Schalke have transformed the tunnel at their Veltins-Arena stadium into a replica mine shaft -- giving the short walk from the dressing rooms to the pitch an incredibly atmospheric air.